Noteboom The Law Firm

States Want VA to Foot the Bill for Injured Veterans

More and more states are putting the burden on the federal government to pay for health care costs for veterans. The states are locating veterans in their state and on Medicaid and enrolling them for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical benefits.

Washington State first started such a program in 2003. Since then, the state has taken almost 9,500 veterans off their Medicaid coverage and transferred them to VA coverage. Those moves have resulted in the state saving $27 million in health care bills. In most cases, veterans generally find VA benefits more generous than the state benefits.

Other states are catching on to what Washington has accomplished, and are beginning to make the same moves themselves. The program does not save any money, it only transfers the burden. As states struggle with dwindling budgets and no hope of federal stimulus dollars in aid, the less money states spend the better.

There are currently more than 22 million veterans across the country, yet only 8.3 million used VA health care benefits. Many are not aware of their eligibility, which may be why so many veterans are enrolling in state Medicaid programs.

If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veterans disability rights firm today - 1-888-234-5758.